1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a display apparatus in which a display means such as a liquid-crystal display (LCD) monitor may be detachably and rotatably housed in a housing means of a predetermined shape disposed at a suitable position such as a wall or a ceiling of a passenger cabin of an airplane or the like. More particularly, this invention relates to a display apparatus comprising a supporting means including a supporting portion and a supported portion to engage a display means and a housing means with each other and a disengaging means for disengaging the engagement of the display means and the housing means so that the display means may be attached to or detached from the housing means easily and speedily.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, display apparatus such as a liquid-crystal display device for displaying a variety of information have become more available within the passenger cabin of the airplane and the like. This kind of display apparatus has hitherto been large in size and designed such that it may be watched by many passengers on the passenger seats. As the display apparatus becomes smaller in size in accordance with the progress of technologies, in order to satisfy most of passenger""s needs, the display apparatus is designed such that it may be watched by a small number of passengers. Moreover, in order to secure a sufficient cabin space, there is proposed a display apparatus in which a display means may be housed. As the display apparatus becomes smaller in size and the function of the display apparatus is advanced much more, a number of display apparatus are provided within the passenger cabin of the airplane. In order to easily and quickly change and maintain many display means of the display apparatus, there have been developed such display apparatus in which a display means may be freely attached to or detached from a housing means.
FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a partly-cross-sectional perspective view illustrating a display apparatus 500 according to the related art. FIG. 2 is a like partly-cross-sectional perspective view illustrating the state in which the display apparatus 500 is in use.
In the display apparatus 500 shown in FIG. 1, a display means 10 includes a liquid-crystal display screen for displaying a variety of information and a fixed shaft 3 serving as a supporting means. A housing means 20 is disposed on the ceiling of the passenger cabin so as to house the display means 10. When the fixed shaft 3 fixed to this display means 10 is pivotally fitted into the housing means 20, the display means 10 is rotatably engaged with the housing means 20, whereby the display means 10 may be ejected from the housing means 20 or the display means 10 may be freely accommodated into the housing means 20.
When the display means 10 is in use, as shown in FIG. 2, a passenger pulls out the display means 10 to a predetermined position and a passenger may use the display means 10. When the display means 10 is detached from the display apparatus 500, initially, the housing means 20 is detached from the ceiling of the passenger cabin or the like. Thereafter, the display means 10 is detached from the housing means 20.
However, according to the display apparatus 500 of the related art, when the display means 10 is detached from the display apparatus 500, the housing means 20 is detached from the ceiling of the passenger cabin or the like, and then the display means 10 is detached from the housing means 20.
As a consequence, in order to change and maintain the display means, there is required a large-scale work in which the display means 10 is attached to or detached from the display apparatus 500. Moreover, such work can be done by only those (qualified persons) who are certified by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
It is an object of the present invention to provide a display apparatus including a supporting means for rotatably engaging a display means and a housing means with each other and a disengaging means so that the display means may be attached to or detached from the housing means easily and speedily.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display apparatus in which a display means may be freely attached to or detached from a housing means of a predetermined shape and the display means may be rotatably accommodated into the housing means. This display apparatus comprises a display means, a housing means for housing this display means, a supporting means for engaging the housing means and the display means in such a manner that the display means may be freely attached to or detached from the housing means and engaging the housing means and the display means in such a manner that the display means and the housing means may be engaged rotatably and a disengaging means for disengaging the engagement between the display means and the housing means. The supporting means includes a supporting portion and a supported portion. The display means and the housing means are engaged with each other by engaging the supporting portion and the supported portion. The disengaging means rectilinearly moves the supporting portion away from the supported portion, thereby resulting in the engagement between the display means and the housing means being disengaged.
According to the present invention, when the supporting portion and the supported portion comprising the supporting means are engaged with each other, the display means may be rotatably engaged with the housing means. When the disengaging means rectilinearly moves the supporting portion away from the supported portion, the supporting portion and the supported portion are isolated from each other, thereby resulting in the engagement between the display means and the housing means being disengaged. Thus, the display means may be removed from the housing means. When the display means is attached to the housing means, under the condition that the supporting portion is rectilinearly moved in the direction in which the supporting portion becomes distant from the supported portion, the engagement positions of the supported portion and the supporting portion are made coincident with each other. Then, when the supporting portion is rectilinearly moved to the original position, the supporting portion and the supported portion are engaged with each other, whereby the display means may be attached to the housing means. Therefore, it is possible to provide a display apparatus in which the display means may be attached to or detached from the housing means easily and speedily.